|
|
||||||||
1Maternal-Fetal Physiology, Rowett Research Institute, 2Animal Breeding and Development, Sustainable Livestock Systems Group, Scottish Agricultural College, Aberdeen, and 3School of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
Submitted 3 August 2005 ; accepted in final form 15 February 2006
Both placental system A activity and fetal plasma cortisol concentrations are associated with intrauterine growth retardation, but it is not known if these factors are mechanistically related. Previous functional studies using hepatoma cells and fibroblasts produced conflicting results regarding the regulation of system A by cortisol. Using the b30 BeWo choriocarcinoma cell line, we investigated the regulation of system A by cortisol. System A function was analyzed using methyl amino isobutyric acid (MeAIB) transcellular transport studies. Transporter expression [system A transporter (SNAT)1/2] was studied at the mRNA and protein levels using Northern and Western blotting, respectively. Localization was carried out using immunocytochemistry. The [14C]MeAIB transfer rate across BeWo monolayers after preincubation with cortisol for 24 h was significantly increased compared with control. This was associated with a relocalization of the SNAT2 transporter at lower cortisol levels and significant upregulation of mRNA and protein expression levels at cortisol levels >1 µM. This is the first study to show functional and molecular regulation of system A by cortisol in BeWo cells. It is also the first study to identify which system A isoform is regulated. These results suggest that cortisol may be involved in upregulation of system A in the placenta to ensure sufficient amino acid supply to the developing fetus.
transcellular transport; intrauterine growth retardation; placenta; system A transporter 2
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
A. L. Fowden, A. N. Sferruzzi-Perri, P. M. Coan, M. Constancia, and G. J. Burton Placental efficiency and adaptation: endocrine regulation J. Physiol., July 15, 2009; 587(14): 3459 - 3472. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. L. Fowden and A. J. Forhead Hormones as epigenetic signals in developmental programming Exp Physiol, June 1, 2009; 94(6): 607 - 625. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Roos, Y. Kanai, P. D. Prasad, T. L. Powell, and T. Jansson Regulation of placental amino acid transporter activity by mammalian target of rapamycin Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, January 1, 2009; 296(1): C142 - C150. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. E. Michael and A. T. Papageorghiou Potential significance of physiological and pharmacological glucocorticoids in early pregnancy Hum. Reprod. Update, September 1, 2008; 14(5): 497 - 517. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. U. Baumann, S. Zamudio, and N. P. Illsley Hypoxic upregulation of glucose transporters in BeWo choriocarcinoma cells is mediated by hypoxia-inducible factor-1 Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, July 1, 2007; 293(1): C477 - C485. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. J McNeil, M. O Nwagwu, A. M Finch, K. R Page, A. Thain, H. J McArdle, and C. J Ashworth Glucocorticoid exposure and tissue gene expression of 11{beta} HSD-1, 11{beta} HSD-2, and glucocorticoid receptor in a porcine model of differential fetal growth Reproduction, March 1, 2007; 133(3): 653 - 661. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Visit Other APS Journals Online |